Learning Something New

I decided a few months ago that I really wanted to learn to sew.  Rather than buying a sewing machine a couple of months before Christmas and burying myself with unrealistic expectations I chose to wait until after Christmas to get my machine.  My beautiful new Janome came in the  mail ten days ago.

My first challenge was reading the directions and learning how to use it.  Without too much trouble I learned how to assemble the few pieces that needed assembly.  I learned how to fill a bobbin and then how to thread the machine.  After some trial and error I got the machine to sew a seam.  I even figured out what reverse stitching was.  Not bad for someone that had never owned a sewing machine.

Last Friday I made a reversible hobo bag just the right size for my computer using the tutorial on Simply Modern Mom.  I love the bag and I especially love that I made it myself.  After my success with the bag I decided that I wanted to try something with a pattern.  Here's another place that I learned something new.  I am not a shopper, that's not new.  What is new is that I didn't equate selecting a pattern and material with shopping.  That was such a mistake.  For a non-shopper like me, shopping for something that's not yet made is way worse than normal shopping.

After two hours in the fabric store trying to decide first on a pattern then on material, I emerged victorious.  I brought home two patterns, a skirt for me and one for M7.  I also bought purple fabric to make the skirt for M7.  I couldn't decide on fabric for my skirt and decided to call it a day.  After all, I can't make two skirts at the same time.  Pacing myself is a good idea, don't you think?  Now that I understand that buying patterns and material is shopping I'll be looking into ways to do that online.

Today, I got out the material, pattern and machine and began my project.  I now have much more sympathy for my husband and his home improvement frustrations.  So often he's lamented that the people that write the instructions leave out important information because they assume a base of knowledge.  Sewing is the same.  Since I didn't know how to thread a machine until a week and a half ago,  my base of knowledge is extremely small.  Thankfully, the internet is available.  I was able to find all the information I needed to get the project started.  The only thing that still has me confused is how to change my stitch lengths.  I read something about foot dogs but I haven't been able to figure out how to change them.  I'm sure new questions will come up tomorrow but I'm pleased with my results so far.

Another thing I didn't realize about sewing is how much ironing is involved.  I've done more ironing in the last two weeks than I've done in the last two years.  Tomorrow I will continue my project, practicing some of the skills I've learned in the last few days, practicing patience and self-control and learning new things as I go.